Innovative Program Helps People Find Work and Stability

Ken Mead felt abandoned most of his life.

Addicted and living on the streets, Ken wanted a better life but didn't know how or who could help him.

That changed when he discovered Dignified Workday in Spokane, Washington.

"If you ever have addiction issues in your life, you're immediately separated from society," said Ken. "Housing and employment are hard to find. Sometimes you need a helping hand, which Dignified Workday extended to me."

Since joining the Dignified Workday crew, Ken has been a changed man. Over the last six months, he worked daily on the painting crew. Through steady employment, he earned what he needed to get off the streets and move into an apartment. He owns a bicycle, a car, and even a dog.

Ken is one of several unhoused individuals finding a new lease on life because of the innovative program.

"This program has been the most successful I've ever seen," said Ken. "I hope it's one of many like it because it helps people."

Dignified Workday offers a lifeline to those who want it, meeting people where they are.

"We want to take concrete steps to help break the spirit of poverty through the dignity of work," said Andy Dwonch, Career Path Services Chief Operating Officer whose organization co-founded Dignified Workday. "We knew it was critical for employment to be a more direct part of the solution.”

People who show up for work daily are assigned to various work sites around the city. These include cleaning apartment buildings, painting low-income housing units and performing other clean-up jobs.

Career Path Services and their partner, SDS Realty, lead Dignified Workday. The nonprofit secures work projects with partnerships with well-known organizations like Habitat for Humanity. They also organize the program's work crews and manage participant payroll.

The program started with a simple request for help with weeding the St. Ann Catholic Church grounds.

Tresa Schmautz, co-founder of Dignified Workday and member of St. Ann, asked unhoused people for help with a few hours of work and promised payment in return. One man accepted her offer.

"He asked if we could do it again, so we decided to meet the following Tuesday," said Tresa. "The next week, he brought friends."

From that one appeal, Tresa's workdays grew to over 60 people showing up ready to work. Tresa and her husband, Steve, found work for the weekly group and paid the wages out of their personal resources.

Andy attended the Tuesday gatherings and saw an incredible opportunity.

"Andy believed we could turn it into something," said Tresa. "That's how Career Path Services became the program's overseer."

Andy and the Career Path Services team developed the Dignified Workday program and officially launched it in January 2024. Beginning with eight individuals, the program now has a roster of over 40.

“The nonjudgemental approach is essential because we accept people as they are," said Andy. "We're here when they’re ready."

Avista has stepped in to help support the labor cost. The utility awarded Dignified Workday with Named Communities Investment Fund (NCIF) and Avista Foundation grants.

"The outcomes from the grant award are very positive," said Avista Foundation Executive Director Kristine Meyer. "We’ve met people impacted by the program. It is amazing."

Tresa and Steve remain active in the program. As a supervisor for one of the program’s Spokane-area crews, Tresa discovered a significant problem that’s often overlooked.

"I kept hearing about laundry and how expensive it is," said Tresa. "That's why you see clothes thrown away in odd places; they can't afford to wash them."

Thanks to Tresa’s advocacy, a vacant room on the St. Ann campus was renovated into a commercial laundry facility for the unhoused population. Avista awarded St. Ann a separate NCIF grant for the remodeling project, helping with the costs of new windows, an HVAC upgrade, laundry equipment, air conditioning, and wiring to support the three commercial-grade washers and dryers.

Energy efficiency upgrades will help the parish save on its energy bill while providing a dignified place for people experiencing homelessness to wash their clothes.

"It's been a unique opportunity for us," said Kristine. "Some of the biggest challenges in our community are folks struggling with addiction and homelessness. Programs like Dignified Workday help people reach their fullest potential. It demonstrates that it's the right thing to do for our neighbors who need it most."

Avista's Named Communities Investment Fund (NCIF) was approved by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission as part of the company's Clean Energy Implementation Plan (CEIP) to meet compliance targets for the state's Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA, 2019). The NCIF will invest up to $5 million annually in projects, programs, and initiatives that benefit Avista's Washington electric customers residing in highly impacted and vulnerable communities (i.e., "Named Communities"). Community-based projects will be selected for funding through a competitive grant application process.